


Meaning of Safety

by Hajimehinata-kun (KrystieT)



Series: May the Hope Within Guide You Well [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Camping, Day 2: Camping, F/M, Kamunami Summer 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-05-14 02:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19263916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrystieT/pseuds/Hajimehinata-kun
Summary: Written for Kamunami Summer 2019 (June), Prompt 2: CampingThey were safe, but is that really okay?





	Meaning of Safety

**Author's Note:**

> I've not touched this series in over a year, and while I've missed it, I have massive writer's block, plus a lot of essays that take away all my energy...
> 
> In any case, I've missed out on too many KamuNami events, and if this is really the last time, I want to do my best!
> 
> Anyways, though this may be an obsolete note in the future when I reorder the series to be chronological, this entry takes place after a series of events that I've yet to write. However, there's enough explained here that it should make sense still!
> 
> And this isn't exactly my best writing, but I tried my best with all the stress piling up x'D
> 
> Hope that you enjoy!

Chiaki stared blankly at the fire in front of her, listening to the cracks as it ate at the wooden kindling. The crickets were chirping loudly, but having been in the forest for days now, she hardly even noticed it anymore.

While the forest they were in (much less thick then the one she knew) would have been very pleasant, she was unable to enjoy the environment.

She was safe for now, which was more than she could say for many of her friends.

She tightened her grip on the blanket that was wrapped around her shoulders as she sighed deeply.

The past few weeks was like a blur. It seemed like only yesterday that she had been sitting down in a clearing like this one, carefully writing letters to Izuru about creating new spells and theorizing novel ways to use others. And it seemed so sudden that the kingdom had fallen- the monarchs were murdered, the heir to the throne, alive, but hidden from the world by black magic, and the citizens driven to insanity and despair by the one who had conquered their land. She was able to escape, but what of her family? Her neighbors? Her friends?

She wished she could go back to those days where her only worry was if Izuru was doing fine and if he could possibly ever return her feelings for him.

As her mind went into the same circles it had for weeks, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching and tensed, quickly jumping up to face the direction she heard it from. She relaxed immediately when she saw it was just Izuru, who unceremoniously dumped the game he hunted on the floor. He nodded at her before getting down and making quick work of the game with the knife he pulled out from inside his jacket.

“Welcome back, Izuru,” she greeted softly, moving to help him pluck the pheasant as he skinned the beaver. He simply glanced at her in acknowledgement. They worked in silence until the work was done, preparing some of the meat for a stew with ingredients Chiaki and Usami had found earlier, and setting the rest to be preserved for later. Once the stew was set to cook, Chiaki broke the silence.

“Izuru, what’s going to happen next?” she asked, looking at Izuru, who was sitting on log by the campfire opposite of her, staring blankly at the fire. He didn’t acknowledge her in any way.

“Izuru… please. We can’t just stay here forever,” Chiaki pleaded, yet he still refused to respond.

After a while of nothing except the crackling of the fire, she lowered her eyes to the ground, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

It remained quiet for a while, though eventually she could hear Izuru get up and work on the stew. Her surroundings grew darker and darker, until the sun finally set, but she stayed in her position.

It was only until he sat to her right did she turn to see what he was doing. He had placed a bowl of the stew in front of her, and didn’t look at her, simply eating his own soup. She gloomily took the bowl and began eating as well- there would be no use in wasting the food, after all.

She’d almost gotten through the bowl when Izuru spoke up.

“Junko’s power is too strong right now,” he said in almost a murmur. “This forest exists in a pocket dimension, away from the madness she has inflicted on the kingdom. Until her power lessens, going after her would be fruitless.”

Izuru then suddenly took her right hand in both of his, making her startled at his sudden touch, but she soon relaxed easily. Looking into his eyes, she saw more emotion than she had ever seen in them before.

“I want my brother back, and we’re the only ones who stand a chance at opposing Junko and reinstating him back into the thrown. We have to stay here until the right time.” He squeezed her hand gently, and moved to let go, but Chiaki held on firmly, placing her left hand over his.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “You’re hurting, too… of course you are. Your father is dead, your brother is cursed, and you’ve been accused for both of the crimes committed on them.” She briefly looked down at their intertwined hands and the continued.

“I thought that the person that I’ve been writing to over the last year and the man in front of me were different.” She lifted their hands to rest over her heart. “But, you are the same. I learned how to read what you wrote in your letter, but in person… I just don’t how to read you yet, I think.”

Izuru’s head bowed, his long hair shielding his face from view, however a single tear fell slowly down his face. Chiaki let go of his hands and reached for the sides of his face with both hands to turn him towards her. She could see the pain and conflict and anger flash in his eyes, and then him trying to shut the door on those emotions to torment him internally once more.

Chiaki leaned her forehead to his and let her tears fall freely.

“It’s okay,” she reassured softly. “You don’t have to hold the pain alone. We’ll save our friends and family, together.”

She soon felt his tears run down and onto her fingers, but she refused to move.

The two of them had been through a lot and have lost so much, but at least for now they can have each other in this moment, and she wanted to make sure he knew that, too.


End file.
